Sports Editor Troy Provost-Heron covered UT’s game in Neyland Stadium against Missouri on Saturday. He assessed grades for each position based on the group’s performance in the Vols’ 29-21 loss to the Tigers.
Quarterbacks: C-
For the first time since he’s been under center for the Vols in 2014, Joshua Dobbs struggled. Prior to UT’s final scoring drive in the fourth quarter, the sophomore signal caller only had 114 passing yards on 16-of-26 passing. And while he may not have had much help around him, Saturday’s version of Dobbs was eerily similar to the one that showed up in Columbia, Missouri last year.
Running Backs: C-
The disruptiveness of Missouri’s front seven presented numerous problems for Tennessee’s offense, but it mostly affected UT’s running game. After back-to-back 100-yard performances, Jalen Hurd, who has become a three-down back with Marlin Lane and Derrell Scott battling through injuries, was limited to just 40 yards on 11 carries. The freshman also added another 40 yards on six catches.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: D+
With Marquez North out with a shoulder injury, the rest of the UT receiving corps failed to pick up the slack. The Vols had numerous drops, the biggest one coming off of the hands of freshman Josh Malone and into the hands of Missouri’s Kenya Dennis. Junior Alton “Pig” Howard finished the day as Tennessee’s leading receiver — eight catches for 90 yards — but even he had his fair share of drops on the night.
Offensive Line: F
Dobbs’ presence in the lineup turned a struggling offensive line into one that looked like it was able to hold its own. But against Missouri, the line reverted back to its old self, allowing six sacks and 12 tackles for loss — both more than the number they had given in up in their two games combined. It probably has not helped, however, that UT has started eight different offensive lineman this season.
Defensive Line: B
Last year, the Vols defense allowed Missouri quarterback Maty Mauk to rush for 114 yards. On Saturday, the defensive line did a much better job of keeping Mauk’s legs in check, only allowing him to gain 31 yards on the ground. Jordan Williams celebrated his final home game with a career-high six tackles on Senior Night.
Linebackers: C
With A.J. Johnson out of the lineup, the Vols’ linebacking unit did not have the same feel to it. Jalen Reeves-Maybin was asked to make a lot of the defensive checks and because of that, the defense did not seem to flow as easily as it had in the past. Jakob Johnson — A.J. Johnson’s replacement — finished the night with only three tackles. Curt Maggitt registered his ninth sack of the season.
Secondary: C
The Vols’ secondary held Mauk to less than a 50 percent completion percentage, but were burned multiple times late in the game, especially on Jimmie Hunt’s 73-yard touchdown, to secure Missouri’s victory. With Brian Randolph suspended for the first half, Todd Kelly Jr. racked up six tackles. Cam Sutton recorded two pass breakups.
Special Teams: A
Head coach Butch Jones dug deep into the playbook and called a fake field goal in the second quarter that holder Patrick Ashford and tight end Alex Ellis executed perfectly for a 31-yard pitch and catch for a score. Freshman kicker Aaron Medley was 2-for-2 on the night on field goal attempts, and senior punter Matt Darr ended his career in Neyland Stadium with an average of 46.5 yards on six punts — four of which he downed inside the 20.
Week 11 GPA: The Vols earn a football GPA of 1.96 for their performance in a 29-21 loss to Missouri.
Cumulative GPA: Through 11 games, UT holds a cumulative GPA of 2.71.
